'Mucky Hen' is written by me Cheryl Powling, a fifty something, mother of three, I keep and breed chickens, and I am a professional Stained Glass Artist, I love writing poetry. I am very creative and edgy, my interests lie at home where I work, rest and play.

Sunday, 10 October 2010

Chicky..

Now the colder weather is drawing in, chicken breeding should be put off till the Spring. This is the time in nature when the most eggs would be laid, and gives enough time for the chick to reach a level of maturity where it might stand a good chance of surviving the coming winter. It takes 21 days to hatch a chicken egg under the correct conditions of temperature, and if done using a broody hen, they will 'pop out' in cold weather and could suffer as a consequence.
The other important thing about looking after your chickens in winter is their security. Foxes find food more difficult to find during the winter month's and may try that extra bit harder to get into your coop, so ensure you do a daily inspection for any weak areas and see if there are any tell tale signs of something attempting entry, and this is a good time to carry out any repairs on your coop before the weather makes it just that little bit difficult.Also check for signs of water leaking into the house, because birds cannot stand draughts or being wet.